Into the Cove

One of Chris's contributions to our summer bucket list was to pull a handcart at Martin's Cove. After our pit-stop at Independence rock, we headed for the cove. We saw some familiar faces as we pulled in, the whole Moncur family were just packing up and heading home after a three day trek and camp-out. We visited with EmRee, it was definitely a bittersweet visit.....sweet to see her, but a harsh reminder of how much we miss her living in Lovell.

After we ate our picnic lunch, we hit the trail....



Ava was enthusiastic about riding in this backpack for about 8.2 seconds, barely long enough for me snap a few pictures of her adorable and spoiled little self.

Owen was pouting about something. 

Once we made it into the cove, we took a break in the shade. It was unbearably hot that day, luckily there was a good breeze blowing or we may have melted. Emma was especially weary since she had stayed up past 11pm the two previous nights.

Ava spent her rest time playing in the dirt.

Those are Lily's feet in the picture above. She got the "most fashionable and impractical shoes of the day" award. I still can't believe she walked all that way in those little flip-flops. We bought everyone brand new tennies the night before so everyone would have good walking shoes. Somehow no one noticed until we were already a mile into our walk that Lily wasn't wearing her new tennis shoes, by then it was too late to go back for them.

After our rest in the shade, we hit the trail and headed for the homestretch.

Ava was excited, Lily wasn't....poor girl, she was so hot.

Once we were headed down out of the cove and back to where we had parked our hand-cart, the weary ones felt a surge of energy. I think it had something to do with knowing the worst was behind them, and it was all downhill to the handcart....or maybe it was the primary songs they were singing that helped lighten the mood.  We enjoyed the scenery as we walked and the girls were excited to spot a little lizard next to the trail.

We took another little break at this monument.

Once we made it back to the hand-carts, everyone was all smiles.....Emma happened to be all smiles and windblown hair.

After arriving back at the Visitor's center and picnic area, we got ready to party. Ava thought it was the perfect time for some table dancing, grandpa was worried for her safety.

We sang to Marsie and ate some yummy berries and pound cake......sorry about the overexposure on your b-day pic mars:(

The sugar must have given everyone another burst of energy because lots of wrestling, cartwheels and chasing games ensued. Ava tickled Owen, and that began a dog pile.

Ava noticed a little bunny and was calling "kitty, kitty" to it through the gate. Just when I told her it wouldn't come to her calling it, it zipped right past her through the gate, proving me wrong. I was right, however, when I told her she wouldn't be able to catch it. Thankfully, that little bunny stayed a few hops ahead of her until it found refuge in a bush.

If there had been a "Rock Star" award, Grace would have surely earned it. She made the entire walk without ever once complaining or riding in the hand-cart. You are awesome, Grace!

And a plethora of pictures of just Ava because we simply can't get enough of her.....

I am so glad Chris added Martin's Cove to our bucket list. We are kept comfortable in our temperature controlled homes and vehicles. We notice the things we don't have instead of being grateful for the things we do. We are abundantly blessed, and so much of the time we take it for granted. We forget the sacrifices that were made so that we could live the way we do. Hearing the pioneer stories is humbling and heart-breaking. I simply cannot fathom the heartache and sheer despair those mothers must have felt as they watched their families suffer and buried their husbands and children. Their stories are gut-wrenching, they shake you to the core and they humble you and fill you with gratitude and new resolve to be better. We are so incredibly blessed.